What Does The Prayer Really Say?
W D T P R S

I wonder about these terms… which we will be hearing and reading often in the coming days.

What is the difference of impact between

What do these terms really say?  What are people trying to convey by them… choosing the one over the other.

I was spurred to ask this in light of an article I read on FoxNews, which I fisked here.

Discuss with good manner and think about what you might want to post.

From AP via FoxNews:

My emphases and comments:

Pro-Life Groups Fear Backlash After Tiller Murder
Many anti-abortion groups condemned the killing of Tiller, a prominent abortion provider who was shot dead at his church in Wichita, Kansas. But they expressed concern that abortion-rights activists would use the occasion to brand the entire anti-abortion movement as extremist.  [Isn’t that what the Department of Homeland Security did in a memo?  Along with military veterans?]

NEW YORK —Anti-abortion leaders voiced concern Sunday that the Obama administration and other Democrats may try to capitalize on the murder of Dr. George Tiller to defuse the abortion issue in upcoming Supreme Court confirmation hearings. [It might go beyond that.]

Many anti-abortion [...] groups condemned the killing of Tiller, a prominent abortion provider who was shot dead at his church in Wichita, Kansas. But they expressed concern that abortion-rights activists would use the occasion to brand the entire anti-abortion movement as extremist.

They also worried that there would now be an effort to stifle anti-abortion viewpoints during questioning of Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor. Her exact views on abortion aren’t known, but conservatives fear she supports abortion rights. 

Said the Rev. Patrick Mahoney, an anti-abortion activist: "No one should use this tragedy for political gain."   [Not a "pro-life" activist.  We can discuss different terms in another entry.]

Tiller, one the few American doctors specializing in late-term abortions, had been the target of repeated protests and harassment for many years, and he was wounded by gunfire from an anti-abortion activist in 1993.

"It is abhorrent that once again, individuals who oppose the right to choose have used violence to try to advance their extreme anti-choice agenda," said Vicki Saporta, president and CEO of the National Abortion Federation.  ["extreme anti-choice agenda"]

"We condemn this lawless act of violence. The foundational right to life that our work is dedicated to extends to everyone. Whoever is responsible for this reprehensible violence must be brought to justice under the law," said Americans United for Life President and CEO, Dr. Charmaine Yoest, in a statement.

While many anti-abortion leaders swiftly issued statements condemning the shooting, their expressions of dismay were not echoed by Randall Terry, a veteran anti-abortion activist whose protests have often targeted Tiller.

"George Tiller was a mass murderer and we cannot stop saying that," Terry said. "He was an evil man—his hands were covered with blood."

Terry said he was now concerned that the Obama administration "will use Tiller’s killing to intimidate pro-lifers into surrendering our most effective rhetoric and actions."  ["most effective rhetoric" does not in my mind include murdering abortionists.]

A month ago, Terry was arrested protesting President Obama’s appearance at the University of Notre Dame commencement. The president’s graduation speech was dominated by abortion issue—and an appeal for the nation to seek common ground instead of vitriol.

Mahoney said he had been conferring with other anti-abortion leaders about how to deal with any backlash to the Tiller killing that might undercut their cause at a time when they are trying to challenge Obama’s support for abortion rights.

"I’d hope they wouldn’t try to broad-brush the entire pro-life movement as some sort of extremist movement because of what happened in Wichita," Mahoney said. "That’s really important—don’t use this personal loss for a political gain."  [But… isn’t that what that memo of the Dept. of Homeland Security did?]

He noted that abortion is likely to be one of the most contentious issues at Sotomayor’s confirmation hearings, and expressed hope that the Tiller murder would not be raised there.  [Well… it is part of the background buzz now, one way or other.]

Abortion rights leaders reacted to the killing with shock and determination

Nancy Keenan, president of NARAL Pro-Choice America, said the murder would "send a chill down the spines of the brave and courageous providers" offering abortion to American women.

"Violence and murder will never end the need for abortion," said Dr. Suzanne T. Poppema, board chair of Physicians for Reproductive Choice and Health. "With great sadness and discouragement we call on the government to reactivate its protection system for our nation’s abortion providers."  [Are pro-life groups justified in being worried?]

Kim Gandy, president of the National Organization for Women, said Tiller was aware of the dangers he faced, "yet he continued to protect his patients and provide safe and legal abortions to women in often-desperate circumstances."

She and other activists urged that Monday be observed as a national day of mourning for Tiller, as well as a day of commitment to the cause of abortion rights.

According to the National Abortion Federation, Tiller was the eighth U.S. abortion provider murdered since 1977, and 17 others had been targeted with attempted murder.

 

This is going to heat up.

Here is an oldie post.   Take a look also at what my friend John Sonnen post over at his place Orbis Catholicus here and here.

_____

In Rome on Pentecost, in the Pantheon, now a minor basilica called S. Maria ad martyres there is a beautiful custom.

Rose petals are dropped through the circular oculus opening at the top of the dome, which is the widest is all of Rome, for all its antiquity.  The petals fall to the crowds below, reminiscent of the coming of the Holy Spirit like tongues of flame.

I posted photos taken over two different years here.  Some show the event from the inside of the Pantheon, and some show the mechanics from the outside.  My room in room is perfectly situated to see the dome of the Pantheon.

Here is how they get it done!  Notice the fire truck parked in front of the Pantheon.

 

 

The firemen, waiting on top of the dome, for the signal to drop the flower petals…

The moment arrives!



From within…

This is one of those lovely customs which we have only in Rome. 

UPDATE:

Fr. Longenecker found this YouTube piece:

 

I await with anxiety the inevitable capture of the person who shot George Tiller to death.

Tiller will now be lifted up in mockery of authentic martyrdom.

I hope to God his murderer is not Catholic.

I am supposing he will be identified ad nauseum as a "right-wing anti-women’s rights extremist" and a member of "radical anti-social groups", perhaps even the Catholic Church.  "See!", they will crow. "Homeland Security was right to issue that memo about so-called ‘pro-life’ groups?"

I am just cynical enough to wonder if he will not be identified as Catholic even if he isn’t.  I just bet that most news outlets will try to tie this act to the Catholic Church’s teachings and the protests of a handful of extremists who protested … well.. you get the idea.

As despicable as Tiller was, his murder will result in harsh payback against pro-lifers. 

Just as bad as the harsh payback will be the adoption of a cool and patient stance on the part of, for example, the Obama Administration – taking a soft and reasonable tone offering opportunities for more dialogue, etc.

Those Catholics who are soft on protesting abortion in strong terms will now be energized.  They will claim that, yes, their way is better after all.  We have lost the debate on abortion in the public square and now we must adopt a moderate tone and hope to get a little of what we would like to achieve.  Stubbornness and litmus-tests only create a cycle of violence, after all.

On this Pentecost Sunday remember that when the Apostles broke out of their room into the public square they did not go forth into safety or comfort.  Filled with the Holy Spirit and focused on the mission Christ gave them, they went out with a clear identity into the public square at the risk of life and limb and nearly all of the Apostles died as martyrs.

I think we need to get our heads into the right mental places right now so that we can see clearly and bear what the future will bring and God in His providence will permit.

I will leave the combox open... for now.

If people can discuss this and the surrounding issues with measured civility, demonstrating the ability to self-edit, I will leave it open.

Knuckle-heads will be banned from the blog.

All… the NYT has this story. 

The infamous late-term abortionist Dr. George Tiller was shot and killed today in his church.

WDTPRS deplores this violence. 

Furthermore, this will bring horrific blow-back down on the entire pro-life movement.

Abortion Doctor Shot to Death in Church

By MONICA DAVEY and JOE STUMPE
Published: May 31, 2009

George Tiller, a Wichita doctor who was one of the few doctors in the nation to perform late-term abortions, was shot to death on Sunday as he attended church, city officials in Wichita said.

Dr. Tiller, who had performed abortions since the 1970s, had long been a lightning rod for controversy over the issue of abortion, particularly in Kansas, where abortion opponents regularly protested outside his clinic and sometimes his home and church. In 1993, he was shot in both arms by an abortion opponent but recovered.

He had also been the subject of many efforts at prosecution, including a citizen-initiated grand jury investigation. In the latest such effort, in March, Dr. Tiller was acquitted of charges that he had performed late-term abortions that violated state law.

The shooting occurred at around 10 a.m. (Central time) at Reformation Lutheran Church on the city’s East Side, Dr. Tiller’s regular church.

Wichita police said that the shots were fired from a handgun in the church lobby during the morning service. The authorities gave few details, but said they were searching for a powder blue Taurus made in the 1990s that had been seen leaving shortly after the shooting. They said witnesses had described seeing a white man departing.

“This is going to be a larger search than maybe just Wichita,” said Brent Allred, a police captain, who said that the FBI and state police had been called to the scene. By noon, few parishioners remained at the church, a modern, red brick facility that seats about 500 people. Police cars surrounded the building.

 

UPDATE 2000 GMT

AP has this: 

 

WICHITA, KAN – Nearly four hours after abortion doctor George Tiller was gunned down and killed in his Lutheran Church, Johnson County police pulled over a car matching the description of the suspect vehicle. The Associated Press reports police have the suspect in custody.

Tiller, 67, was shot just after 10 a.m., at Reformation Lutheran Church where he was a member of the congregation.

See a locator map of the crime.

According to Wichita media, police described the suspect as a white male in his 50’s or 60’s with gray hair that is balding in the middle. He is about 6’1" and about 220 pounds and was wearing a white shirt and dark pants. He was last seen in a light blue Ford Taurus, possibly an early 1990’s model. It has a K-State vanity plate and a Kansas license plate number 225 BAB.

 

Read more at that AP site….

From a reader:

A traditional Latin Missa Cantata (Mass in the Extraordinary Form) has been scheduled for 3:00 PM on Sunday, June 28, 2009 in anticipation of the Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul at the Church of St. Paul, on Christian St. between 9th and 10th Sts. in South Philadelphia.

Parking will be available across the street from the church. The church, which is very close to the 9th St. Italian Market, is readily accessible via SEPTA.

The music director for this TLM will be Nicholas Beck who is Music Director at Mater Ecclesiae in Berlin, NJ. Robert Ridgell will be the organist.
Father Gerald Carey, the Pastor of St. Paul Parish, will celebrate the Mass. The proper of the Mass will be sung in Gregorian chant. The Mass setting will be the familiar Missa de Angelis sung by the choir and the congregation.

Special polyphonic motets will be sung at the Offertory and at Holy Communion.

Our Sovereign Pontiff Pope Benedict XVI has made available a Plenary Indulgence for those who celebrate this Jubilee Year of St. Paul by participation in such a solemn celebration in connection with the Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul.

I wrote about the letter of the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei about the use of the traditional form of the Ambrosian Rite.

Now there is an article in Il Giornale about the issue.

n. 131 del 2009-05-31 pagina 4

«La messa antica si può celebrare anche a Milano»
di Andrea Tornielli

LA MISSIVA Una lettera del Vaticano: la decisione liberalizzatrice del Papa vale anche per il rito ambrosiano

Il motu proprio «Summorum Pontificum» con il quale Benedetto XVI nel 2007 ha liberalizzato l’uso dell’antico messale preconciliare «vale per gli altri riti latini, incluso il rito ambrosiano». Lo scrive in una lettera datata 22 maggio il vicepresidente della Pontificia commissione «Ecclesia Dei», monsignore Camille Perl, in risposta a una domanda rivoltagli per iscritto all’inizio dell’anno dal vicerettore del collegio Papio di Ascona, padre Jeffry Moore.
La lettera del Vaticano è stata resa nota ieri dal sito www.newliturgicalmovement.org.
Come si ricorderà, dopo la promulgazione del documento papale, la Curia ambrosiana aveva precisato per iscritto che il motu proprio non era applicabile nella diocesi di Milano, dato che il pontefice citava espressamente soltanto il rito romano, mentre per la liturgia ambrosiana il capo-rito è l’arcivescovo Dionigi Tettamanzi.
Non condividendo questa impostazione, un gruppo di sacerdoti e di laici tradizionalisti, lo scorso 7 gennaio si era recato a Roma ed era stato ricevuto dal cardinale Darío Castrillón Hoyos, presidente della Pontificia commissione Ecclesia Dei, che si occupa per mandato papale del mondo tradizionalista, chiedendo un parere sulla questione.
Tra i sacerdoti c’era anche don Jeffry Moore, che esercita il suo servizio in una chiesa di Ascona, nella diocesi di Lugano, il cui territorio è per metà di rito romano, per l’altra metà di rito ambrosiano. Don Moore celebra per un gruppo di studenti la messa in rito antico romano, ma fino a oggi aveva avuto problemi a farlo per gli studenti di rito ambrosiano.
«Lei esprime il desiderio di ricevere il conforto di un assenso – scrive monsignor Perl al sacerdote – alla possibilità che anche gli studenti ambrosiani che lo richiedono possano usufruire dei benefici garantiti dal Sommo Pontefice nel motu proprio “Summorum Pontificum”».
«Mentre è vero che il motu proprio del Santo padre non cita esplicitamente il rito ambrosiano – continua nella lettera il vicepresidente di “Ecclesia Dei” – non esclude nemmeno gli altri riti latini; se la volontà del Sommo Pontefice vale per il rito romano, considerato il superiore in dignità, di conseguenza, tanto più per gli altri riti latini, incluso il rito ambrosiano».
Insomma, la volontà liberalizzatrice del Papa si intende, secondo quanto scrive il vicepresidente della commissione vaticana, estesa a tutti i riti latini.
Va ricordato che nella diocesi di Milano, oltre alla messa domenicale in rito ambrosiano antico nella chiesa del Gentilino (concessa a suo tempo dal cardinale Carlo Maria Martini), dallo scorso ottobre esiste un’altra celebrazione secondo la liturgia preconciliare, promossa dal Movimento liturgico benedettiano, che si svolge a Legnano.
A quasi due anni dalla pubblicazione del motu proprio si attende ancora l’istruzione che dovrebbe precisare le condizioni applicative

From a skype conversation with one of my witty interlocutors:

"[08:31 AM] ... : Next week in the Novus Ordo is Trinity Sunday.  We hate these dogmatic "theme" Sundays.  People could care less about dogma.  I wish the Novus Ordo had "Why Humanae Vitae is Infallible Sunday" and "Why Women Should Take Their Proper Place in Church Governance Sunday – None – and Why Sunday".  How about, "Why People Do Go to Hell Sunday" and "Surprise!  God Does Speak Through the Magisterium Sunday"?  People would come flocking to listen to those homilies!"

 

 

In this PODCAzT we will look into the new Year of Priests announced by Pope Benedict XVI and the indulgence priests and lay faithful can gain each in their own ways.

Then, I will start what I hope to carry through the whole Year of Priests, that is, drilling into some texts which might bring the priest into focus.

This time, we will hear Bl. Pius IX (+1878) speak, in his encyclical Amantissimi Redemptoris of 1858, about who the priest is, what Holy Mass is, what the cura animarum is all about especially in light of the obligation priests have to say Mass for their people on feast and Holy Days of Obligation.

In canon law today, Holy Church still requires pastors, that is those who hold the office of pastor, or parish priest, to say Holy Mass for the intention of the people under his care, his subjects, on Sundays and Holy Days.  This is the "pro populo" Mass.   If the priest can’t say that Mass himself, he must see to it that it is celebrated for that intention.

In times past Holy Church has relaxed the discipline of of the faithful to hear Holy Mass in Holy Days, reducing obligations.  However, human nature being what it is, that led to a certain laxity on the part of priests and people alike.  That was bad for their souls.  That eroded the care of souls entrusted to priests.

Therefore, Pope Pius changed the law about these obligations a bit.  The instrument of that change in law was his encyclical Amantissimi Redemptoris of 1858. 

Along the way, the Blessed Pope also gives us some fine liturgical theology and a reflection on the priesthood in regard to the splendor of Holy Mass and its fruits.

I read the text of the encyclical in English, indicating some things to listen for, and then ramble for a while when the reading is finished…. as is my wont.

UPDATE: In my original recording I misread Pius and had him quoting Benedict XVI instead of Benedict XIV.  opps.  I corrected the error.

 

http://www.wdtprs.com/podcazt/09_05_30.mp3

085 09-05-03 Gregory the Great on the Good Shepherd
084 09-04-30 St. Pius V and Quo primum
083 09-04-19 St. Augustine on the challenge of remaining faithful
082 09-03-19 St. Joseph: a hymn dissected & sermon of Bernardine of Siena

Beginning 1 June, please VOTE for WDTPRS in the Catholic New Media Awards.  WDTPRS is nominated in many categories.

You might have missed had Catholic Church Conservation not been vigilant.

Yes, YouTube has video produced by the infamous St. Joan of Arch parish in Minneapolis on the occasion of their Earth Day celebration!

Look at it as a sort reverse way of observing St. Joan of Arc’s feast today.

If time constrains you either to watch this or doing something environmentally friendly, then by all means  ... um… you know…

Under another entry commenters went down the rabbit… but with a good topic for discussion.

Orchestral music for Holy Mass…. Mozart Masses, Schubert, Haydn, Gounod, Faure, Reinberger, etc.

Kosher for the Roman Rite?  Not Kosher?

Last Thursday was the Feast of the Ascension.

Today is the Vigil of Pentecost.

The original NOVENA is underway.

Pray to the Holy Spirit.

Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Your faithful, and enkindle in them the fire of Your love.

V. Send forth Your Spirit, and they shall be created,

R. And You shall renew the face of the earth.

Let us pray.

O God, Who by the light of the Holy Spirit, did instruct the hearts of Your faithful, grant that by that same Holy Spirit, we may be truly wise and ever rejoice in His consolation, through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Welcome to another installment of What Does the Prayer Really Sound Like? 

Today we will learn the antiphons, orations and readings, sequence, preface and proper parts of the Roman Canon for Pentecost in the 1962 Missale Romanum. 

In this installment I will read the texts for Pentecost Sunday in the 1962 Missale Romanum, including the sequence, the preface and the proper Communicantes and Hanc igitur.  I will sing the Collect in the festal tone, the two readings, the preface of the Holy spirit in the solemn tone, and the Post communion in the festal tone. 

Pay attention for variations in the endings of the orations which are addressed to the Holy Spirit. 

In the preface on Pentecost you say the words hodierna die.  Those words are omitted during the octave and votive Masses.  Helpful tip: In the conclusion of the Gospel the conclusion begins on the second last accent.

http://www.wdtprs.com/prayercazt/090525_pentecost.MP3

If priests who are learning to say the older form of Holy Mass can get these prayers in their ears, they will be able to pray them with more confidence. So, priests are my very first concern. 

However, these audio projects can be of great help to lay people who attend Holy Mass in the Traditional, or extraordinary form: by listening to them ahead of time, and becoming familiar with the sound of the before attending Mass, they will be more receptive to the content of the prayers and be aided in their full, conscious and active participation.

My pronunciation of Latin is going to betray something of my nationality, of course. Men who have as their mother tongue something other than English will sound a little different.  However, we are told that the standard for the pronunciation of Latin in church is the way it is spoken in Rome.  Since I have spent a lot of time in Rome, you can be pretty sure my accent will not be too far off the mark.

If this was useful to you, let your priest friends know this resource is available and make a donation. 

Pray for me, listen carefully, and practice practice practice.

From a reader:

Rev. Mr. Charles White IV is to be ordained priest for the Archdiocese of Detroit by Archbishop Allen H. Vigneron on Saturday, May 30th. 
 
His first Mass as celebrant, will be in the Extraordinary Form – a Solemn High Mass on Pentecost Sunday, May 31st, 2009 at 9:30am at Assumption Grotto parish in Detroit, Michigan.
 
This is an opportunity to not only attend a Solemn High Mass and a "First Mass" in metro Detroit for Pentecost, but it will be an orchestra Mass conducted by Grotto’s pastor,  Rev. Eduard Perrone (Mozart’s Missa in C  Major, KV 256 - aka, the "Credo Mass").  This orchestra Mass music will be repeated again for Corpus Christi at Noon on Sunday, June 14, 2009.

Ad multos annos!

On Thursday, 29 May there was a very interesting "discussion" held by Catholic University of America on "The Obama Administration and the Sanctity of Human Life: Is there a common ground on life issue? What is the right response by ‘Pro-Life’ Citizens?"

This is a very interesting video through C-SPAN.

I am sure you will learn something!

The length is 1:20.

Mary Ann Glendon moderated a discussion between

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I haven’t actually seen one of these things yet, but the possibilities are intriguing.

We had a discussion of Kindle here on the blog.

I wanted to make WDTPRS available to those of you who have one.

From Stella Borealis come this entry about the annual Pentecost challenge made by a homosexual activist group to the local Archbishop of St. Paul and Minneapolis.  The group concerned is called Rainbow Sash.

Adherents of Rainbow Sash publicly protest the Church’s teaching on homosexuality by making a public display of themselves during the time of Holy Communion during a Mass for Pentecost at the Cathedral of the Archdiocese.  In other words, they seek to receive Communion while protesting the Church’s teachings.

My emphases and comments.

Archbishop Nienstedt Responds to Rainbow Sash Alliance

Archbishop John C. Nienstedt of the Archdiocese of St. Paul-Minneapolis has responded to a letter by Brian McNeill, organizer of Rainbow Sash Alliance USA, in which McNeill notified the archbishop that – as in previous years – lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) Catholics and their allies would be present wearing rainbow sashes at this year’s Pentecost Sunday noon Mass at the Cathedral of St. Paul  ["as in previous years"... which means that they are both contumacious and persistent in their contumacy.]

Notes McNeill on the Rainbow Sash Alliance USA website:

"We cannot repeat too often that we attend Mass on Pentecost to celebrate who we are, not to protest. We participate in Mass in the same way we do all the other days of the year. But on Pentecost we come out of the closet as lgbt Catholics, family and friends to remind our fellow Catholics that we too are part of God’s loving family."

McNeill’s letter to the archbishop also stressed that the rainbow sash represents and invites dialogue between LGBT Catholics and the Roman Catholic hierarchy.

Following is Archbishop Nienstedt’s response.

Dear Brian,

I write to acknowledge your letter of May 10, 2009, alerting me to the fact that you and some fellow protesters [His Excellency is not falling for this.] will be wearing rainbow sashes at the noon Mass on Pentecost in the Cathedral of St. Paul. I ask you to refrain from such a public act of dissent, especially as it so clearly shows disrespect and irreverence for the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. [Archbp. Neinstedt has called it as he sees it.]

Anyone wearing a “rainbow sash” will not be permitted to receive Holy Communion, since their dissent is a sign that they have publicly broken communion with the Church’s teaching. I also ask that those not wearing the sashes refrain from sharing the Holy Eucharist with those who do. [In other words, don’t go up and receive a Host and then give it to a protester.  Hmmm… I wonder if that would fall under can. 1367, which covers not only throwing away the Sacred Species (abicere) but any contemptous treatment of the Eucahrist.  Now that they have been so instructed, were they to do such a thing would be pretty close to what the canon describes.] Such an action is unbecoming the dignity of the sacrament.

With regard to the dialogue you request, it would first be essential that you state clearly that you hold with the conviction all that the Church teaches on matters of human sexuality. If you do not believe, then there cannot be dialogue, but only debate. The truths of our faith are not open to debate.

Again, I hope you will see how disruptive your planned protest will be for those who will gather on Pentecost to pray. I ask you to refrain from being the cause of such disruption.

Sincerely your in Christ,

The Most Reverend John C. Nienstedt
Archbishop of Saint Paul and Minneapolis

 

High kudos to Archbishop Nienstedt in this matter.

I think there might be a model here also for pro-abortion politicians or other highly visible Catholic figures who persist in support of abortion and who approach to receive Holy Communion.

Although the week has brought some sadness, there are nevertheless reasons for good cheer in this life, aided by grace.

Foremost among the good pieces of news I had were the appointment of a friend of mine, Fr. Lee Piche, as the new Auxiliary of St. Paul and Minneapolis.  He will be a fine bishop.